NASA has halted the Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport robotic lander mission after the system failed to respond to two communication attempts.
The mission took its final self-photograph on April 24 and sent its last signal to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California on December 15, the space agency said Wednesday.
“I watched the launch and landing of this mission, and while saying goodbye to a spacecraft is always sad, the fascinating science InSight conducted is cause for celebration,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate.
“The seismic data alone from this Discovery Program mission offers tremendous insights not just into Mars but other rocky bodies, including Earth,” he added.
InSight was built by Lockheed Martin Space. It was launched in May 2018 to explore the inner layers of Mars. In its nearly five-year expedition, the lander delivered valuable data on weather as well as magnetic and quake activity, enabling scientists to date the age of the planet’s surface and the makeup of its crust, mantle and core.
The accumulation of dust on InSight’s solar panels impeded the lander’s power generation, causing its batteries to run out of energy.
